Several months ago, it was reported that Lloyd Kaufman of Troma Entertainment was moving forward with a fifth instalment in the Toxic Avenger series, with James Gunn of Guardians of the Galaxy fame said to be working on the script. And while it’s been mostly radio silence on the project since then, Bloody Disgusting’s now reporting that Legendary Entertainment has acquired the rights to the horror-comedy property with plans for a remake of the 1984 original.
Though details remain thin, it’s said that the original movie’s co-directors Kaufman and Michael Herz will produce the film alongside Legendary’s Alex Garcia and Jay Ashenfelter, and given the studio’s blockbuster-oriented track record, we’re potentially looking at a pretty drastic reimagining of the franchise here.
To elaborate, much of the original movie’s charm came from its amateur, DIY feel. To the continued cult following of The Toxic Avenger, the film’s campy acting, ridiculous special effects, and all-round cheapness of its appearance are things worth celebrating.
Meanwhile, if you want to know what a Legendary monster movie is like, just look at their 2018 line-up, which includes the relatively glossy, more conventional Pacific Rim: Uprising and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, with Godzilla: King of the Monsters due for release next year. Even with Kaufman and Herz involved, it’s hard to imagine Troma’s superhero splatter-fest remaining its scrappy old self in this sort of crowd, meaning that fans may want to brace themselves for some big changes.
Of course, this is just speculation for time being, and regardless of how the Hollywood reboot turns out, it must be said that the next entry in The Toxic Avenger franchise has already earned our curiosity.